This invention relates to a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus.
There have heretofore been provided a variety of magnetic recording and reproducing apparatuses wherein the first playback and recording state, under which the reproduction or recording is performed by driving in the normal direction a multitrack magnetic tape wound around two reels, is switched at the end of the tape to the second playback and recording state, under which the reproduction or recording is performed by driving the tape in the reverse direction. Such systems use a pack which contains therein the multitrack magnetic tape wound around two reels. Such apparatus includes a mechanism which brings a pair of idlers into engagement with and disengagement from two reel rests in an alternate change-over manner, the idlers being disposed in correspondence with the reel rests for rotating the reels, and which thereby drive the reel rests. Another mechanism effects the normal and reverse tape drives by employing a pair of sets each consisting of a capstan and a pinch roller. A pinch roller change-over mechanism changes-over the pinch rollers alternately so as to bring them into engagement with and disengagement from the corresponding capstans, and it includes a plunger for inverting the tape drive. An idler change-over mechanism changes-over the idlers alternately so as to bring them into engagement with and disengagement from the corresponding reel rests. Further required is an interlocking mechanism which serves to synchronously operate the paired idler mechanism and the paired pinch roller change-over mechanism. Moreover, a fast feed -- rewinding mechanism is necessary. Accordingly, such magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus of the two-capstan and two-idler type system has the serious disadvantage that the number of constituent parts is much larger than in a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus of the conventional one-capstan system. This renders the organization complicated, degrades the reliability of the equipment, and becomes the cause of high cost. Further, the increase of the number of components and the complicated organization hinder the miniaturization of the structure of the apparatus. At present, the foregoing apparatuses are generally put into practical use as cassette type tape recorders of the auto-reverse type system.